Hoop retainer



F. L. BATES HOOP RETAINER Aug. 8, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 18, 1946 Ermentor Gttomegs F. L. BATES HOOP RETAINER Aug. 8, 1950 '2 SheetsSheet 2 Filed Dec. 18, 1946 Gttornegs Patented Aug. 8, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HOOP RETAINER Fred L. Bates, Sandston, Va.

Application December 18, 1946, Serial No. 716,923

1 This invention relates to hoop retainers and more particularly to hoop retainers that are adapted to be associated with the respective ends of large hogsheads. The hogsheads are of the type for shipping tobacco or any other commodity therein. i

In present day methods of attaching the hoops to large hogsheads for shipping tobacco or the like, various clamps and other means are used for maintaining the hoops about the hogsheads. These hogsheads are rather large in diameter and height and are fabricated from a plurality of elongated staves, the opposite side edges of which are usually in slightly spaced relationship and the staves are held together by means of wires attached thereto by staples, which wires at their ends are provided with means for securing the same together in substantially cylindrical form, and there is a circular top and bottom for the hogshead. The usual practice is to position hoops adjacent the top and bottom of the hogshead, which are of similar construction. The

difficulty is encountered in positioning these hoops so that they will not be displaced or disassociated from proper association with the respective ends of the hogshead. The present clamps and attaching means for the hoops have not proved entirely satisfactory for, in packing and shipping, these hoops become disconnected from, and sometimes so loosened and disassociated from the hogshead, that the same opens and the product, such as tobacco therein, is injured or lost. The filled hogsheads are of considerable weight and the hogshead itself is approximately 52 inches tall and about the same in diameter. This means, of course, that a substantial securing of the hoops adjacent the ends of the hogshead is an absolute necessity and with the present day devices, which are not satisfactory, the hoops do become loosened and in shipping they naturally engage other hoops or portions of hogsheads or the vehicle in which the hogsheads are shipped and thus there is a definite need for-a positive means for retaining the hoops associated with the hogsheads.

In my invention I supply this definite need by the provision of means fixedly and securely associated with the ends of the hogshead. This means is in the form of a retainer, a portion of which is disposed between and adjacent the ends of adjoining staves, both at the top and bottom of the hogshead, which means for anchoring the retainer is partially within the hogshead and with the hoop retaining means disposed exteriorly of the hogshead and a clamp for positively Claims. (01. 217-93) 2 retaining the hoop in its secured relationship about the upper and lower ends of the hogshead.

With theforegoing in mind, it is an object of my invention to provide a hoop retainer for hogsheads or similar containers which is of practical, simple and inexpensive design, yet is durable and positively retains the hoops about the respective ends of the hogshead.

Another object of my invention is to provide a hoop retainer ,for hogsheads and the like which is of pre-formed shape for ready attachment to the respective ends of the hogshead, by inexperienced labor, and allowing the hoops to be readily and quickly associated therewith and held positively against any accidental displacement or disassociation from the hogshead.

Another object of my invention is to provide a retainer that is formed of rather rigid sheet steel from a stamping operation and set up into form for ready application between the staves adjacent the upper and lower ends of the hogshead.

' Another object of my invention is to provide a stamped sheet metal hoop retainerfor hogsheads and the like wherein certain portions of the retainer' are disposed inwardly of the hogshead and other portions exteriorly thereof and positively secured to the hogshead and allowing the hoops to be quickly and readily associated with the retainers and. fixedly clamped in position about the hogshead adjacent the upper and lower ends thereof.

Another object of my invention is to provide a hoop retainer for hogsheads or the like serving to positively secure the hoops about the, hogshead and the retainer having means. associated therewith for holding the top and bottom of the hogshead in fixed relationship with respect thereto.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claimshereto appended, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportions, and minor details of construction, within the scope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a top plan view of a conventional hogshead with my hoop retainers associated therewith;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the hogshead showing the spaced staves and the wires.

connecting the same together, and my hoop retainers adjacent the top and bottom thereof;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of a plurality of the hogsheads in fiat shipping condition;

Figure 4 is an exploded perspective View showing the manner of attaching the ends of the wires associated with the staves of the hogshead;

Figure 5 is a plan view of my retainer in its condition as stamped and before being set up into usable form;

Figure 6"is an exploded perspective view showing the retainer of Figure 5 in set up condition with the hoop and clamp about to be applied thereto;

Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view showing parts of the retainer and clamp in section, and one of the staves in full lines and taken substantially on the line 5-1 of Figure 8;

Figure 8 is a top plan view showing the retainer, the clamp and the hoop associated with the hogshead, a portion of the retainer being interiorly of the hogshead and another portion exteriorly thereof and further showing the cleats at the bottom and/or top of each stave to which the interior portion of the retainer is secured;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the retainer associated with the staves of the hogshead, the view being from the inside of the hogshead; and

Figure 10 is a vertical sectional view of a modification of the invention disclosing the retainer as in the other figures of the drawings and including the means for positioning or securing the top and bottom of the hogshead in place.

The invention will be more readily understood by referring to the drawings in detail, wherein a conventional hogshead l l having the usual top 52 and bottom 63, each of which has on its exterior surface a circumferential band M and #5, respectively, and which bands are secured in any suitable manner to the top and bottom of the hogshead and spaced inwardly as at 55 from the outer peripheral edges of the top and bottom of the hogshead, thus providing an axial surface I? which engages under cleats it! that are secured in any suitable manner to the upper and lower ends of each of the staves constituting. the hogshead. These cleats are of the same height as the circumferential bands It and [5 on the top' and bottom of the hogshead and the outer edges of the same and the outer edge 59 of the said bands are flush, or in the same plane. The cleats it, as aforesaid, are secured to the staves 2t and these staves, usually eighteen, or which can be more or less in number, are held together by a plurality of suitable wires 2|, which wires. are secured to the staves by staples or the like'ZZ and have free ends in the form of eyes 23 through which eyes a substantially U-shaped clip Z' tis passecland twisted at 25. to tension and secure the wires in position about the staves, and when the top l2 and bottom 13 are associated with the staves to maintain the hogshead in generally cylindrical connected staves about the bottom i3 and connecting the respectively eyed ends of the wires and then filling the hogshead and finally placing the top therein. The hogshead already described is of conventional design and is in use at the present time. I l

My hoop retainer denoted generally at 26 is stamped from sheet metal in flat formation, see Figure 5, and is then bent into the formation as shown in Figure 8. The retainer blank in Figure 5 is bent upon itself on the line El so as to dispose the similar portions 28 thereof into spaced sul stantially parallel relationship. The similarly formed hoop engaging and clamp receiving plates 29 are then bent outwardly on the lines 30 at a substantially right angle to the bent portions 28 and the similarly formed diverging cleat engaging arms 3| are then bent downwardly on the lines 32 and in such condition the said arms extend beyond the outer edges of the plates 29; then the similarly formed pointed retainer securing fingers 33 are bent downwardly on the lines 3 3. The similarly formed notches 35 and the notched formations 3%, when the retainer is set up as in Figure 6, allow the hoop clamp, later referred to, to be associated with the plates 29 for securing the hoop in position.

While I have referred to individual bending and forming of the retainer: from the flat blank, as shown in Figure 5, to the final formshown in Figure 6, it is to be understood that'with proper automatic machinery these bending operations may, of course, be all simultaneously effected. In other words, the fiat form of the retainer in Figure 5, by suitable machinery, might, in one operation, be placed in the final form as. in Figure 6.

In actual practice, I- prefer to use three of the hoop retainers 25 substantially equi-distantly spaced, about the. outer circumference of the hogshead, and three 'of. such retainers are clearly shown in Figure 1 of the drawings. It is understood that three suchhoop: retainers are used in combination with the top hoop er and the bottom hoop 38 which, as shown in Figure 2, are adjacent the respective top and bottom ends of the hogshead. The retainers used at the top and bottom of the ho'gshead are all the same and the description hereinbefore and the description hereinafter of the retainer will sui'fice for all of them. i

In associating the retainer with the hogshead, the flat portions. 28 of the retainer which, see Figure 6,. are in overlapping, substantially parallel spaced relation, are between the opposite side edges 39 of adjoining staves and opposite end edges All of the stave cleats l8, and the diverging cleat engaging arms 3i overlie and contact the upper edges of the stave cleats with the pointed fingers 33 positioned between the inner sides of adjacent staves and the cleats on these staves with the extreme pointed end 4| of the fingers bent inwardly at a right angle over the bottom of the stave cleats and the clamp receiving plates being disposed eXterio-rly of the outer sides of a portion of each adjoining staves. Thus the retainer is fixedly and firmly associated with the hogshead andcannot be removed except by deliberatemanual operation. With three such retainers affixed adjacent the top and bottom of the hogshead and'disposed between adjoining. staves, as-described, and assuming that the hogshead has been filled with tobacco or any other commodity, and that the top H and the" bottom I3 are associated therewith, the hoop 31 or 38', which is in the form of a flat, flexible steel band, isplaced about the hogshead with the hoop engaging the plates 29 of the retainer and then having its ends secured by a clip 42-, is in position to have the hoop clamp 43 slid over and engaging the upper and lower edges'of the plates 29, thereby fixing the hoop in a secure manner about the 'hogshead. The

notches 35 and 36in the retainer are'such that the upper portions of the plates 39the portions above the top of" the fiat elements- 2-8are of greater width than the similar lower portions, due to the difference in the depth of these notches. Similarly the upwardly turned-over portion or flange 44 of the hoop clamp 43 is of greater length than the similarly turned-over portion 45 at the bottom thereof. The hoop clamps are, of course, associated with the hoops before the latter are secured'by the clips 42,'but are slidable thereon, so that the clamp can be slid over the upper and lower edges of the plates '29 and thus, with'the band engaging the inner side 4 5 of the clamp and the flanges 44 and 45 engaging over the rear upper and lower ends of the plates 29, the band will 'be' fixedly and securely held in its proper position about the hogshead adjacent the top and bottom'thereof, or in any other location where the band is desirable.

In the modification of the invention'as disclosed in Figure the retainer and the hoop clamp are precisely the same as in the other figures of the drawings, except that in this modification a pin bracket 41 is associated'with each retainer at its top and bottom between the spaced substantially parallel flat l-portion lfl 0f the retainer. This pin bracket is provided with an enlarged head 48 which overlies'the rear upper edges of the fiat portions 28 and has ashank portion 49 extending between these flat portions and 9. laterally formed U-shaped hook portion 50 which receives and supports therein the outer edge of the top 12 and the bottom I3. In this manner the association of the pin bracket with the retainer serves to prevent either the bottom or top of the hogshead from becoming accidentally or unintentionally displaced from its proper relationship with the opposite ends of the hogshead. It is optional Whether this pin bracket may be used and in some instances it may be entirely omitted. When this bracket, in combination with the retainer, is used it is clear that the bottom and top of the hogshead will be held in proper association withthe cleats that are disposed inwardly at each end of each of the staves.

It is clear from the foregoing that in providing the plurality of hoop retainers in combination with the staved hogshead adjacent one or both ends thereof, and the retainer being definitely and securely fixed to the hogshead between adjacent staves, and the hoops being definitely and positively clamped to each of the retainers by means of hoop clamps associated with each retainer, there is no possibility of accidental displacement, either by force or otherwise, of the hoops with respect to their proper association with the hogshead.

It is understood that the hogshead is placed under tension by means of the plurality of spaced wires 2| which are twisted and tightened at 25, and further that the hogshead is maintained in rigid and substantially cylindrical condition at all times by these wires plus the top and bottom of the hogshead, and additionally so by the use of the properly retained hoops about the adjacent ends of the hogshead.

In using my retainers there are no projections at either end of the hogshead or about the periphery of the same which are objectionable because such projections engage each other when the hogsheads are in transit in vehicles or when being packed or unpacked from warehouses, and with present day devices displace or disconnect or loosen the connection for the hoops.

Iclaim:

1. A retainer for a hoop "disposed about a. spaced staved container, the retainer being fixedly secured between adjacent staves inwardly thereof and having a hoop receiving portion positioned exteriorly of the container, a hoop with a portion thereof fitting upon the outer face of said hoop receiving portion, and a clamp positioned about that portion of the hoop and engaging the retainer for securing the hoop in position,

2. In combination a spaced staved container, cleats on each stave, adjacent each end thereof at its inner side, a retainer having a portion thereof extending between the side edges of adjoining staves, a portion extending laterally from said last mentioned portion and having a part secured between the staves and the'cleats interiorly of the container, and an integral portion extending exteriorly of the container'a'nd overlying portions of adjacent staves, a hoop a portion of which is in engagement with the exterior portion of the retainer, and a hoop clamp disposed about that said portion of the hoop and in.

engagement with the said exterior portion of the retainer for maintaining the hoop in fixed relationship with respect to the container.

3. A retainer adapted for fixed engagement with. a staved container, the retainer including substantially vertically disposed fiat'plates in the same plane integral withs'ubstantially parallel vertical intermediate connecting portions extending inwardly therefrom and extending laterally from said vertical connecting portions in spaced relation to and in the rear of the plates, and securing fingers depending from said arms in spaced relation with respect to the outer edges of the outer edges of the said plates.

4. The retainer as recited in claim 3, wherein a container cover support is mounted between the said vertical portions.

5. The retainer as recited in claim 3, wherein a container cover support is mounted between the said vertical portions and where the support is in the form of a hook of substantially U-shape.

6. In combination, a hogshead including a plurality of staves the inner side edges of which are slightly spaced from each other, means for securing the staves together in a substantially cylindrical formation, a hoop at one end of the hogshead, hoop retainers positioned between the opposite side edges of adjacent staves at one end of the hogshead, the retainers including a portion thereof disposed interiorly of the hogshead and secured thereat, and another portion disposed exteriorly of the hogshead and upon the outer face of which portion a portion of the hoop fits, and a clamp for maintaining that portion of the hoop engaging the retaining means in fixed relation therewith.

'7. In combination a hogshead including a plurality of staves the adjoining side edges of which are slightly spaced from each other and each stave having a cleat afiixed adjacent each end thereof, a metal retainer including a portion thereof disposed between opposite side edges of the staves at one end of the hogshead and the opposite end edges of the cleats, integral cleat engaging arms extending over the upper portions of the cleats of two adjoining staves and fiat plates integral with the retainer disposed exteriorly of and extending over opposite adjacent portions of the ends of the staves, a. hoop having a portion thereof in contact with the exterior 7 plates of the retainer and a clamp positioned about the hoop and the plates to secure the hoop in fixed relation with respect to the hogshead.

8. In combination, a spaced staved hogshead having a hoop at one end thereof, and a plurality of hoop retainers for retaining the hoop in proper association with the hogshead, each of the retainers being formed from a continuous piece of sheet metal and including a portion thereof extending between adjacent side edges of adjoining staves, and arms extending laterally from said portion and having means to secure the arms within the hogshead, and flat plates integral with the first mentioned portion, the said plates being disposed over portions of adjoining staves of the hogshead and adapted to receive thereon the hoop, and clamping means positioned over that portion of the hoop on the flat plates and .in engagement with the fiat plates for securing the hoop in position about the hogshead.

9. In combination a spaced staved container having a hoop at one end thereof and a cleat on each stave adjacent one end of the stave at its inner side, the retainer being formed from a continuous piece of sheet metal and being associated with the end spaced portions of the staves of the container, said retainer including a portion folded upon itself extending between adjacent staves, arms extending laterally from said folded portion engaging the cleats of adjacent staves, and each of the said arms having securing means at its outer end securing the retainer to adjacent staves of the container interiorly thereof, and substantially fiat plates extending laterally from the outer end of said folded portion, said plates being disposed exteriorly of the container and extending over portions of adjacent staves when the hoop retainer is applied to the container.

10. In combination a spaced staved hogshead having a hoop at one end thereof, a hoop retainer formed from a continuous piece of sheet metal and including a portion extending between adjacent side edges of adjoining staves of the hogshead and having integral arms extending laterally from said first mentioned portion with securing means on each arm securing the retainer to the staves of the hogshead interiorly thereof, and flat plates extending over adjacent portions of adjoining staves at the outer sides thereof, which flat portions receive thereon said hoop, and a clamp for securing the hoop thereto.

FRED L. BATES.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date George Oct. 16, 1894 Number 

